


Offerings

by niijsii



Category: King's Maker (Webcomic)
Genre: M/M, Moonlight date, Religion, SYS IS ONLY MENTIONED, Shin Sexy, Shin is a God, WolfShin Week 2020, Wolfgang is just human, Wolfgang is looking disrespectfully, forgive me Nei, god AU, he doesn't appear but he is mentioned a few times, this is a messy short story, wolfgang pov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:47:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28255644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/niijsii/pseuds/niijsii
Summary: Shin is a God who creates the stars. Wolfgang is a simple farmer who needs his help. They make an arrangement, but Wolfgang still wants to know more about the God who lives amongst the humans.
Relationships: Wolfgang Goldenleonard & Shin Soohyuk, Wolfgang Goldenleonard/Shin Soohyuk
Comments: 10
Kudos: 15





	Offerings

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this bc I wanted to make Wolfgang a farmer and to make Shin a star painting God. May be rough in some places— this is on the longer side!
> 
> Entry for WolfShin Week 2020 prompt "Religion"
> 
> Check out the hashtag #WolfShinWeek2020 for more incredible works!

Wolfgang was late. He made a promise to always be on time for his offerings but today he spent an extra five minutes too long in the fields. Didn’t even have time to wash up the dirt from his fingers once he realized the time. _Fuck. I can’t fuck this up today._ Behind the sting of each inhale while he scaled the hillside, he prayed relentlessly that the God he was scheduled to meet would still accept his offering despite his tardiness.  
  


Turning the corner he did every afternoon, he saw him. God. Or, what God had allowed Wolfgang to call him–– Shin. He wasn’t grandiose in presentation, he just didn’t look solid or all there. He looked, and _was_ , untouchable by human hands.

“You’re late.” Shin called from his work. Pulling brushstrokes in slow succession on dark, black paper. “That never happens.”

“I know! I’m so sorry. I had a few extra things to dig up from the fields today and my mom––”

“Right, your mother. How is she?”  
  
Wolfgang stood there for a moment. Was he not mad? “She… She’s actually doing better. Eating a bit more than before.”

“That’s good. Healing does still take some time though. If she’s eating more like you said, then that means Sys’ magic is working." Shin stopped pulling strokes on the paper. He seemed to ponder at his work for a second only to continue after a tilt of his head. "Mm, the offerings and prayers, I mean. Keep it up and she'll be on her feet again soon.”

“Ah, thank you. For everything.”  
  


“I’ve done very little, Wolfgang. I’ve just passed your offerings onto Sys, as promised. Nothing more.” Shin looked up from his painting. “But you can’t be late again.”  
  
There it was. Even when he was being soft in his delivery of disapproval, the look on Shin’s face was harsh in it’s blank reservation of emotion. They stood there silent for a brief moment until Shin spoke again.

“Did you bring the offering?” He asked. His hands once again occupied with splattering and staining the black paper on his workstation.

“Yes!” Wolfgang exclaimed. He took the sack off of his back and rummaged through it with frantic purpose and pulled out an object wrapped in rough cloth. “I spent all last night scratching the design into this one, I hope it’s to Sys’ liking.” Wolfgang got down on his knees in front of Shin’s desk and lifted the cloth wrapped object to present it to him.

“Ah, thank you. You can place it on the desk.”

Wolfgang did as he was instructed, getting up from his knees and placing it on Shin’s desk. He took a glance at the paper Shin was working on. The black of the paper seemed endless, like Wolfgang could fall into it and get lost. 

It had been about a month since Wolfgang started offering his ceramic work to Shin to pass onto the God of Healing, Sys. He had come to this hillside villa after being informed of the shrine that laid atop it. He didn’t think he’d run into Shin here, but when he did it appeared that he had been living here for quite some time. Wolfgang was curious why, but could never bring himself to ask. All he did know, was that Shin seemed to look at him with worry or pity— explained how, while his abilities were limited to stars and ink, his friend in the realm of God's could help Wolfgang with his prayers.

Shin's powers were strictly for creating. He was responsible for nearly every star in the night sky. Using a steady hand to draw out the aimless direction of the constellations, naming them, sealing them, and finally rolling them up to place the constellation scroll into its own tomb in the wall behind him. Wolfgang didn’t know why Shin was here in the human realm painting the stars instead of with the God of Healing and the others, but he was very thankful that he was. He was a beautiful sight, especially while engrossed and is his work. Seeing Shin throughout his week was a blessing in and of itself.

“This is lovely work.” Shin held the ceramic bowl up in the air, twisting it in the setting sunlight. “Sys will be pleased. I’ll pass it along to him.” He carefully wrapped the bowl back in the cloth and placed it to his side.

Wolfgang fidgeted for a moment. He normally would leave after Shin would take the offering, but he felt uneasy. Like he should have given more or that he needed to do something to earn forgiveness for his tardiness. Or––

“Why are you just standing there?” Shin asked. Back to working on the constellation painting.

“I… Well I feel bad for being late today.”  
  
“As you should.”  
  
Wolfgang held his breath for a moment. _Fuck, he’s actually upset with me_ . _What do I do?_ “Can I stick around and help you with something? To make up for it?”  
  
Shin sighed and put his brush down. “There’s nothing here you could possibly help me with. Now be on your way.”  
  
“What if I brought you offerings as well? You seem to like the ceramics. I can make you some too!”  
  
“That isn’t necessary. I’m not a God you make offerings to so it’s completely pointless.”

“Well just think of it as gifts!”

“I don’t want your… ‘gifts’.”

_He’s impossible, isn’t he?_ Wolfgang thought, clenching his jaw. He looked at the tools on Shin’s desk and noticed the ink jar he used was a bit scuffed. It appeared old and fragile. Shin had probably been using it for a millenia, maybe a new container for ink would satisfy him?

“What if I made you a new ink jar?”

“Not possible. Mere clay work can't hold the stars.”

“Ah, brush holder?”

“You're doing it again.”

Could Shin blame him? He was curious to know more about the God that lived with humans. Why Shin acted as a messenger between Wolfgang and Sys. Why, even though he was just transparent enough for the sunlight to pass through him, he still seemed to be within Wolfgang’s grasp. Just fleshy enough.

“Fine, I’ll leave. I’ll be back tomorrow though with something for you, though.”

“Again, that isn’t necessary.” Shin started.

But Wolfgang was already running out the door. He had a long night of work ahead of him.

~~~

Wolfgang had spent the better part of his day preparing something special. He liked to keep his hands busy. Tending the fields in the mornings. Crafting pottery and making use of his woodworking skills throughout the afternoon. Cooking full meals for him and his mother, even. He may not be the brightest but he had an overwhelming sense of heart and strength. 

Since the pottery he had prepared as his next offering was still in its cooling stage, Wolfgang put together a picnic basket of some of his farm's most impressive produce. Spent hours slicing vegetables and fruit, putting together an assortment of neatly sliced things to eat.

If there was one thing he knew a God _couldn't_ refuse, it was food from the heart.

Rushing out the door, he picked one last thing on his way— a perfectly ripe pomegranate.

"I brought food!" Wolfgang called to Shin as he approached the shrine. Always open for all to enter, like usual.

"You already bring me the ceramic ware for Sys, no need for anything else."

"Not as an offering! Just think of it as a thank you. I know God's love food freshly picked and prepared." Wolfgang held up a basket that carried the neatly set up assortment. He smiled. “I was thinking it could be an opportunity for you to take a small break.”

"Wolfgang I'm very busy. Besides I… I can't go far. I'm restricted to—"

"The cove isn't too far from here! And it's pretty in the moonlight."

Wolfgang watched as Shin furrowed his brows and bit down on his bottom lip. _If you want to go, let's just go. What's stopping you?_ Wolfgang thought to himself. He couldn't understand what could scare a celestial being so much.

“Fine. We can't stay long, though. I have an immense amount of work to finish.”

“I promise. Just to look at the stars. Eat. A quick break.”

“A… quick break.” Shin nodded. He stood up from his stationary sitting position and brushed the imaginary dust off from his robes.

~~~

It wasn't a quick break in the slightest. They had gotten to the cove right when the sun was setting and were now still in that cove, _hours_ later. 

Wolfgang learned quite a few things in that expanse of time.

How Shin wasn't supposed to be a God.

How Shin made promises he couldn't keep.

How Shin’s body wasn't always just _half._

How whenever Shin laughed the moonlight started to shine even brighter.

How earthly food effected God's similar to how alcohol effected humans.

How Wolfgang wanted to know both everything and nothing. To learn just how much more intoxicated he could feel from seeing Shin’s skin peeking through seemingly intentional slips in his robes.

"Did you make the sun? That's a star right?" Wolfgang asked. Attempting to shift his attention back to Shin's mouth for when he spoke. 

Though, it seemed that looking at any part of Shin in an attempt to subdue any of the new, sinful thoughts Wolfgang had was for naught. He held his breath when Shin tilted his back, laughing at his question.

  
"Oh no, the sun has always been there. I only make the far off galaxies." Shin waved his hand like he was brushing off Wolfgang's rumor. As if he was wiping away something dangerous. 

It was nice to see him so relaxed. At ease. The stars could wait a few more minutes for their God, but Wolfgang began to realize that he couldn't wait weeks, months, or years to see this side of him again. "Interesting."

"I think another God elsewhere, very far away, made our sun. Made us, even." Shin said.

"You think? You mean you don't know?"

"The world is much too large for me to have all the answers, Wolfgang." Shin smiled. However, his entire demeanor changed when he looked down. "What's this?" His tone shifted to one filled with both curiosity and concern.

Wolfgang looked to see the bright, crimson skin of the pomegranate he had picked that morning peeking through white cloth.

"Oh! It's a pomegranate from my family's pomegranate tree. Been in the family for generations. I was thinking we could—" Wolfgang stopped himself. He looked up to see Shin staring at the fruit with brows pressed together and eyes wide. "Oh no, are you allergic? Gods have allergies?"

Shin looked up and while his brows were more relaxed his eyes were still just as wide. "Allergic?" An exasperated laugh escape Shin's lips. "Don't be silly." He looked back down and brushed the cloth off the pomegranate to reveal it's full shape and licked his lips— like he was trying to calculate something.

Wolfgang shuddered. "What's wrong?" 

"You mean you really don't know?" Shin asked.

"Know what?"

"Gods _love_ pomegranates. They exchange them all the time." 

Wolfgang watched as Shin stroked the fruit's skin. He proceeded to pick it up with one hand, rotating to examine it as he brought it closer to his face. As if it were an offering like Wolfgang's ceramic work. As if he were holding the whole world in his hands.

"So you… like them? I'm a bit confused here, Shin." Wolfgang smiled sheepishly. 

What was he supposed to make of a God who, at first showed such a visceral reaction to a simple fruit, was now examining it carefully and tenderly underneath the moonlight? Who looked so ethereal and lovely doing such simple, meager things that it made him stress over saying or doing the wrong thing.

"They're a sign of desire between the Gods." Shin placed his hands in his lap, the pomegranate cradled between them. “Almost like… a promise of sorts.” His head slowly worked his way back to look at Wolfgang.

Wolfgang blushed. Hard. He thought he showed disrespect before but now he was just embarrassed. Did Shin know this whole night? Know that Wolfgang couldn't stop watching him with a head full of hungry thoughts? 

"What do you mean by that?"

"In some ways it can be romantic but most of the time it's quite... suggestive."

Wolfgang felt his ears get even more hot. "Ah! I... I really had no idea. I can take it back. I'm so sorry—"

"No, it's perfectly alright. I... Love pomegranates. They're delicious." He rolled the pomegranate on the ground. Slow and gentle. "Would you like to split this with me?"

Wolfgang took a deep breath and swallowed. He felt even more warm all over his body, like he swallowed one of the billions of stars Shin created every day. The way he rotated the pomegranate, the way he glistened under the moonlight, delicate in presentation but still powerful. It was all too much, because it was true. Wolfgang may not have known the implications of his fruit choice, but he did desire something that was physically impossible to have.

"Well?" Shin interrupted.

"I... I'd love to."

Shin smiled. He motioned for a knife buried inside the basket, cut the stem, and scored the pomegranate into fourths. Wolfgang was impressed by how quickly Shin was able to cut the fruit, as he had always struggled with it himself.

"You're very fast at cutting it." Wolfgang said. "Do you... get pomegranates often?"

Shin blushed and Wolfgang's eyes widened. "I'm sorry, that was rude of me." He couldn't believe he caused the stoic, transparent, celestial creator of far off galaxies to _blush_. 

"Ah, no. It's okay." Shin ripped the fruit apart over the ceramic bowl next to the basket. Pieces of the seeds fell into the bowl and made musical, little plinks with each drop. "I've never shared one with someone before. If that's what you're asking." He looked up from the bowl as he scraped the seeds into it with his fingers. Looking Wolfgang directly in his eyes.

Shin's eyes were such a deep, dark blue. Mimicked the same deepness as the black paper he worked on. Wolfgang, once again, fell as if he could fall right into the darkness.

"Oh." Wolfgang licked his lips and swallowed again. He wanted to touch him. To touch Shin's delicate hands. To kiss the lips that spoke with such clear serenity. It angered him deeply that he couldn't do any of that. "Me neither." He said.

Shin brushed the remainder of the seeds into the bowl, fingertips stained red from the juices. "There. All the seeds are ready." He took a handful of the seeds and held it over the bowl. "Give me your hand."

And Wolfgang did just that. They couldn't touch because it was, again, physically impossible. So what did he plan to do with Wolfgang's hand? Shin would surely phase through Wolfgang like mist. 

While humans were solid, organic things, Gods were a whole different story. Star dust and smoke, ink and wine, their bodies were essentially nonexistent to humans. It was a hierarchy with who had a physical body and who didn't— who deserved better than flesh and bone. It was a cruel reality, how neither of them would ever be able to feel the other. 

Shin proceeded to gently drop the seeds into Wolfgang's hand, one at a time, as close as he could get without slipping through Wolfgang's skin. Shin was so focused on evenly splitting what he had picked up, Wolfgang knew he could see just how hard his hand was shaking.

"They won't hurt you, they're just seeds." Shin teased as he turned his body back to face the water. The top of his sleeve slipping down, exposing the glossy skin of his shoulder.

"I know... thank you." Wolfgang continued to stare at Shin. His posture somehow straight and relaxed all the same. 

They sat there in silence for a few minutes. Shin ate each seed, one by one, while Wolfgang mimicked him and did the same. Both their fingers and mouths, stained by a red, sweet tartness. An offering. A gift. A desire. It was in that silence where Wolfgang felt they shared a new mutual understanding. 

A mutual understanding on just _how_ much they both wanted to taste even more red.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading ❤️


End file.
